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Feb. 6, 1923.v 1,444,622 J.,A, M KAY AM, BIKE, ND HE L KE Filed Oct. 25, 1 918. 2 shgats-sheet l Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,622

J. A. MOKAY DAM, DIKE, AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 25, 1918 2 sheets-sheet? j- INVENTOR .fan fl J2 Patented Feb. 6, 1923.

QNITED STATES JOHN .A. MCKAY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

DAM, IJIKE, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed October 23, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. McKAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland, State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dams, Dikes, and the like; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention has relation to an improved form of water confining structure, applicable to the construction of dams, levees, seawalls and the like, and more particularly to be used in relatively,shall.ow water, where large areas are to be confined for the purpose of reclamation.

My invention has the advantage of being capable of construction by a relatively inexpensive and rapid method of operation, which is hereinafter described.

I have shown a certain preferred embodiment of my invention for purposes of description in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan, with the middle portion removed, showing the two ends of the core of a long dike or dan1;cl?igure 2 is a side elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross-section of the dike; Figure 4 is a cross-section of another style of dike; Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating one method of making the connection of the adjacent ends of two sections of the core; Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the ends of the sections shown in Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical section il lustrating another method of making the connection.

Referring to the particular embodiment illustrated, a suitable even bearing or bedis first prepared along the line of the intended structure as by dredging, blasting or otherwise excavating the bottom or by building or laying earth, broken stone, concrete mats or other suitable material on the bottom or erecting a support or cradle to form a bed above the bottom. In some instances the natural bed or bottom may be utilized.

A hollow core with closed ends or with bulkheads set in from the ends a suitable distance to permit the forming of joints as hereinafter described, is floated above the bed and filled with earth, sand, liquid cement, concrete or other heavy material and Serial No. 259,330.

sunk to a bearing on the bed. The core is sunk in successive sections connected at their ends so as to form a continuous structure, after which covering of rock, earth, concreto or any comliiination of suitable matemay be built around the core to (30111- plete the ructure which is desired. The core is pi irably of such a height that, when sunk in position, it extends above the water level so as to permit access to the open- 1113:8911 its upper side; and is preferably of varying diameters to correspond with the depths of water at different points. In Figure 1 a core A of gradually increasing diameter'toward the center is shown anchored at its ends between piers B near the shore line (a. The upper edge of the core is substantially horizontal and the lower edge is roughly parallel with the bottom of the waterway; being located slightly below the bottom and lying in a previol lsly excavated trench D, l igi'u-e 3. When the core A has been sunk in place the structure is completed by placing around it a body ill of stones or other suitable material, finishing it off to the desired s-ahape and usually terminating at the top in a flat roadway. The material E may for example, be rocks dumped on either side of the core and sand pumped from the bot tom may be used to till the interstices between the rocks.

Figures 5 and 6 ilhistrate one particular shape and style of joint. The tubes A are built up of riveted steel plates in the usual way having bulkheads F near their ends and having at one end tongues Gr at the top and bottom, The adjoining section has at its adjacent end grooves I'I adapted to fit loosely upon the tongues Gr. The tongues G and grooves H are made with their edge faces vertical so that, one section being in place the next ca be lowered upon it with the grooves engaging the tongue. The tongues and grooves are preferably of the dovetailed style shown and provide an interlocking con nection. Preferably also the end of tire sunken section is orovided with a flange or saddle J extending around approximately the lower half of the section and extending beyond the end so that the next section in be dropped into such sadd e; and the end of the next section which being lowered provided with a similar flange K fastened to and projecting beyond its ends and enter around substantially its upper half so as lap over the end of the previously sunk section. Or the construction may be simplified as in Figure 7 by using only the flanges J y in the top of the tube, and after the sections are interlocked in the manner indicated, concrete is poured in through the openings L to fill the two ends and fasten them rigidly and permanently together. The concrete may be reinforced by rods, wires or other metal shapes embedded therein. The sections as they are sunkare weighted through openings M' provided at intervals in the top of the sections.

Each of the sections A may be built on shore or on lighters in protected places and they may be of a length which will vary in accordance with conditions. For example, they may be from one hundred to one thousand feet long and may vary in diameter from ten feet or less to forty feet or more. Each section canbe extended out upon the water in a quiet place as it is being constructed. After it is completed and bulk heads provided atits ends it can be towed to the site of the work and located withthe aid of anchors orother suitable means over the line of the trench or bearing provided for it.

It can then be weighted and lowered gradually and with very accurate control to its hearing.

The invention permits of choosing the time for sinking the core sections, so that this can be done during quiet periods when weather, wind, depth of water and other conditions are most favorable, and during period-s of slack water where there are tides. The operation of sinking the core can be so quickly performed that the invention permits of the builders availing himself of comparatively brief periods of, time when the natural conditions are most favorable. After the sinking of one section of the core the next section is floated toplace and sunk carefully so that its end will register with the free end of the next previous section. A solidcontinuous joint is then made as above described. The sinking of the different sections of the core may be accomplished simultaneously at a number of points in the length of the proposed dike or progressively from one end to the other. The application of the material surroui'uling the core may take place progressively as the core sections are sunk, or if preferred the entire core may be sunk before the body of the dike is built up around it.

l i liere the depth of water makes it desir 'able the core may be lowered in a plurality of tiers sunk one upon another successively to bring the core to the desired height. ure 1 illustrates such a construction. lustead of single core A, as in Figure 8, three such cores are used, two on the bottom and the third resting on the lower two. This figure shows a feature which may also be applied with various styles of core, namely, a facing N of granite blocks on the faces of the dike, the loose rock, sand cement or other filling material being protected by the facing. Such a facing may be applied on both sides of the dike or on one side only and it maybe made of granite blocks, or of concrete blocks, poured cement or concrete or other suitable material.

The construction shown may be widely varied in the design of the parts and in the; material of which they are made without departing from the invention as defined in the claims hereinafter, and. various addi the case of a breakwater the, tubular sections may be made to rest at intervals on piers, the continuous structure being located at such a height as to extend partly above the surface to break the force of the waves and leaving a clear space below through which the water may pass or circulate.

An important advantage of the construc tion, besides the facility of erection and other advantages referred to in detail above is its continuity and the strength of the connections between the successive parts so that the structure or the core which forms the principal part thereof is practically a unit from end to endand the ends of which are securely'anchored to the shores. The core is strengthened by the material introduced into the core and constituting a permanent part of the dike, this material being exposed through the open top of the core so that it may always retain a certain amount of Water which will prevent it from shrinking.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. In a water confining structure of the character described, a continuous core com-.

posed of a series of substantially horizontal pipe sections having abutting ends rigidly joined, a closed bulkhead at the end of each section, interlocking hollow' joints rigidly joining the sections outside of the bulk heads thereof and a filling of ,mineral material within said joints.

The structureset forth in claim 1 hereof, wherein a plurality of superposed series of pipes is employed.

3. 'llhestructure setforth in claim 1 hereof, wherein the top of the series of pipes 5. The structure set forth in claim 1 herehas openings at intervals adapted to permit of wherein the core is round. in cross sec 10 filling of said pipes from above. tion to facilitate settling in its bed under 4. The structure set forth in claim 1 herethe action of Waves and currents.

5 of, wherein certain sections of pipe are made In testimony whereof, I afiix my signatapering to accommodate the structure to ture. differences in depth of the Water Where the structure is set up. JOHN A. McKAY. 

